Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

I am very grateful to have been able to take Theories and Models of Literacy at the start of my graduate program. It helped me build a strong foundation upon which I can build all the other knowledge and skills I need to help others write in the future. I felt like a sponge—there was so much to absorb. I learned from every one of our readings—from the first--“Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults,” to the last “Other People’s Words.” I absolutely loved the latter because it had a story at its heart around which were spun many instructive ideas and practices.

In both of my courses I struggled with basic concepts in the field and with concepts and language that are specific to it. Academic writing is unfamiliar to me and I can’t say I feel comfortable with it yet. I worried at first that the thinking and writing I was doing at school was affecting the writing I do for a living, but I have learned to “code-switch” (see, I’m getting the lingo down). After this semester, I am still a bit frustrated by the many different approaches to and definitions of literacy. I suspect what happens is that each person develops her own understanding of it over time. I hope I will.

I do wish we would have had time for Literate Lives in the Information Age and more discussion of the consequences of moderen technology. But I did satisfy my particular interest in this area by choosing it as the topic for my final research paper.

I am grateful to have been able to study with you, Barbara, and appreciate all the history and influence you’ve had in this field. I look forward to another semester of the same.